


Stay (Jim Mason Blurb)

by Theneverendinghunger



Category: The Tribes of Palos Verdes (2017)
Genre: Depression, Drowning, Drug Use, F/M, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:00:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theneverendinghunger/pseuds/Theneverendinghunger
Summary: Two people struggling with depressing thoughts and ideations, and an unlikely friendship blossoms as a result.
Relationships: Jim Mason & reader, Jim Mason & you, Jim Mason/Reader, Jim Mason/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Stay (Jim Mason Blurb)

You watched her, the unrecognizable girl that stared back.

She was a shell of the person she once was, her once lively eyes now weary, carrying the weight of infinite restlessness within. Her body was wracked with the torment of countless emotional storms, wasting away from the ever growing sink hole taking up residence in her mind. You watched her mouth open, a silent scream emanating. Her voice was gone, hidden in the deep recesses of her mind, the inner ghouls and demons now speaking for her. They whispered to her, things of darkness, hopelessness, uselessness, regret…

She was lost. 

You reached out to her, but she was just out of reach, unable to steal the escaped tear that fled down her cheek. Her chin quivered, her breath unsteady from the malice of her own thoughts, driving her to consider unspeakable things. 

You wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be ok, eventually. You wanted to hold her in your arms, to tell her she was loved by many, and that this, too, was one of the many phases of life. 

Except, you couldn’t, because you were one in the same.

You watched her, the unrecognizable girl that stared back was you. 

\-----

Your legs carried you as fast as they could through the late night streets, your destination unknown even to you. Your lungs screamed from overuse, the cool night air harsh against them with every breath. Your heart threatening to beat out of your chest from exertion. You ran from the unnamed demons that threatened to destroy you as there was nothing more to give. You ran past countless houses, windows dark as peaceful sleep took over those inside.

The thresh of the pebbled sand slowed your unforgiving sprint, the change in texture causing you to fall onto your hands and knees. Sobs erupted from you, echoing off of the surrounding cliffs, retelling the tales of your misery. 

You stood, your body shaky from self-inflicted abuse as you walked toward the ocean, the crashing of the waves providing a much needed distraction, the self-degradation temporarily hushed. You stood at the shoreline, your eyes closed as you took a deep, mind-clearing breath. The choice was always whispered to you, weighing heavy in the corners of your mind. How lovely it would feel to have the smothering pressure alleviated, to be in a permanent state of peace. 

The smell of marijuana pulled you from your serenity, a muffled, stifled cough followed. Your eyes searched the darkness for the source, distressed at the idea of an uninvited stranger within your midst.

His stood unsteady like a wobbly statue, a black wetsuit wrapped around him, his board under his arm. His rubbed his eyes, joint in hand, trying to focus. He flicked the joint into the sand, your presence now apparent to him. Through the darkness of night, you could see the telltale signs of burden, his substance-filled eyes vacant, sticky tears painted his cheeks like war paint. Another lost soul. He stared at you, and you at him. No greetings were needed, no conversation was necessary. 

You watched him walk into the ocean, his board in hand, eventually swimming on it once the depth was enough for him. You watched him surf, the ominous waves growing in size as lightening pierced the dark sky from deep within the Pacific. The ground vibrated with incoming thunder, the oversaturated sky beginning to weep. You continued to watch, unable to leave him in the water. You called for his attention, but the crashing waves drowned your voice. You watched him surf a wave, only to underestimate his position, smashing into a bed of unforeseen rocks hidden by the darkness of night.

You held your breath, your eyes scanning the water, waiting for him to resurface. 

Nothing…

You ran toward the rocks, diving into darkness. You swam aimlessly, treading the ferocious ocean as your eyes frantically searched for him, finally spotting his board floating nearby. You swam hard, salt water burning your eyes and throat as you reached his lifeless body drifting atop the water. You draped a tired arm around him, letting the waves propel you to the shore. You shouted as you pulled him into dry land, falling backward into sand, the dead weight oppressive against your frail strength. 

You screamed for help into the turbulent night, the storm muffling your pleas as you tried to revive him. You cried as you compressed his chest, blowing air into his mouth with wasted effort. You brushed his hair off of his face, your arms cradling his lifeless body as you wept. 

It was supposed to be you…

Sputtered chocking startled you, the ejection of inhaled water hit your chest as he regained consciousness. His hands clutched your body, unsure of who he was holding, but knowing he was safe. His hand slowly approached the wound on his head, his face twisted in pain. 

“You’re ok.” 

\-----

The bright fluorescence was blinding from above, providing an unexpected clarity that made you swear you were seeing things in the hospital bathroom mirror.

You watched her, expecting to see the same unrecognizable girl, only to gaze at one far more memorable.

Her once weary eyes now simmered with an unnamed force she thought was long dead. Her body was shrouded with damp, blood stained clothing that showcased the fight for life, even if it was for someone else’s. The numbness that once afflicted her heart was now upstaged by a low frequency vibration akin to hope, the dark spirits residing in her mind now quiet.

That memorable girl was you before the darkness set in.

\-----

You scanned the waiting room for the exit, the thought that he was in good hands soothing you. You wanted to stay with him, to promise him it would all be ok, eventually. That, with any luck, someone would be able to do for him exactly what he did for you.

“Excuse me, miss…” You turned toward the familiar voice belonging to the emergency room doctor. “Mr. Mason was asking for you.” 

He was still, the only signs of life were that of the monitors that illuminated the dimly lit room surrounding him. His eyes bore into the ceiling, not bothering to wipe away the runaway tears that slid down his cheek. Your presence went unknown to him, only seeing you once you stood next to his bed. A quiet gasp left you, the gash on his head swollen and bruised, remnants of dried blood stained his skin.

“It looks worse than it is…” His fingers brushed over the butterfly bandages, a small smile formed to tell you he was ok as he sat upright. You couldn’t control the empathetic smile that graced your face. 

“May I ask you a question?” His eyes were suddenly solemn, the threat of tears punctuating his voice and he cleared his throat.

You nodded as his gaze met yours.

“Why were you there?”

Shame coursed through you like burning adrenaline, never expecting someone to question your choices. You weren’t planning on still being, let alone answering. “I.. umm…” Your nose tingled, the crippling lump of emotion that had been suppressed was now clawing its way up your throat, no amount of swallowing able to keep it caged. “Life is…” You chuckled nervously, blinking away the tears that were crashing against your lids.

“Hard…” 

You nodded quickly, his completion of your sentence telling you that he was there for a similar reason, to escape, to find peace, to feel. 

“I’m glad you didn’t.” 

“Me, too.” The dam crumbled, a choked sob dangled from your lips as you reflected on the night, how succumbing to the waves and ocean seemed like the only viable option to find the tranquility that had been stolen from your grasp without rhyme or reason. 

His hand enveloped yours, gentle squeezes spoke to you like sign language that only the two of you could translate. 

“Stay.” You weren’t sure if he wanted you to stay with him, or stay alive. The nuance of the word was lost on you as you searched his face for answers. He shifted to one side of the bed, pushing the blanket away. His hand never left yours, the formation of a friendship between two kindred spirits was forged. He looked at the cleared space before looking back to you, asking you to stay with him.

You nodded again, wiping the stray tears away, smiling for the first time in a long time. 

“Ok.”


End file.
